Specialized tables have long been used to support and immobilize individuals so that doctors can readily access body parts of interest during surgery or other treatments. So-called surgical tables come with a number of mechanical enhancements to further this purpose. Many such tables are articulatable to support patients in a supine, sitting or other orientations. Many such tables come equipped with side rails mounted along the lateral edges of the table so that various devices and attachments can be secured to the table, including devices such as arm and head immobilizers, and equipment platforms. The rails are mounted to the edge of the table on a number of spaced-apart stand-offs which form a gap between the rail and the table edge of about 1 to 3 centimeters.
Because of their ruggedness and adaptability, and the number of features provided by these tables, the tables are often expensive. It is difficult for hospitals and other health care institutions to purchase a number of tables for different-sized individuals. Since many individual's weight exceeds three or four hundred pounds, most standard-sized surgical tables have an upper surface which is too narrow to adequately support such individuals.
This has prompted the development of detachable platforms for increasing the upper surface of the table. Existing platforms typically mount directly to the rails without contacting any other portion of the table. Therefore, the load to be carried by the platform must be exclusively borne by the rail/stand-off assembly. Many platforms also leave a gap between the table surface and the platform which can be uncomfortable and provide reduced support. Further, these platforms take up valuable rail space which may otherwise have been used for other attachments.
There is, therefore, a need for a device which increases the usable upper surface of a surgical table without detracting from its utility.